Captain Winters: Lone Rose
by Dark Angel's Blue Fire
Summary: Beauty and The Beast with the roles reversed... In a modern world with just a little bit of magic ...
1. Prologue

Hi all this is my frist shot at a beauty and the beast stroy only i've sort of reversed the roles withBelle being the one who is the beast so tell me what you think

**Disclaimer: **The charaters and plot are mine but the ideas and the names are not. The idea and the story is based on Disney's Beauty and the beast

Hope you like it!

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Captain Winters: Lone Rose

Prologue

Captain Isabel "Belle" Winters pushed the throttle forward and the huey chopper she was flying sped forward the main focus of the mission. The command tower. Her part of the mission hadn't even begun, not really, and already she was having problems.

The mission was going sideways before it had really begun. Belle did not like having things not go her way, not in the slightest. She knew that in the air force things went wrong on a regular basis. That was why you needed to be able to think on your feet but it didn't mean she had to like it.

She was just going to be the pick up.

She swerved as gunfire was aimed her way and she felt her stomach hit her knees. "Damn it!" She hissed.

"Some pick up." Lieutenant Cassandra Dove her wing woman replied lightly despite the situation they had found themselves in.

"Yeah great." Belle said fighting with the huey.

Somewhere above the chopper an explosion screamed through the sky rocking the chopper.

"Shit!" Cassandra said moving over the radar to get a better look "the bastards they're trying to get a lock on us."

"Just what we need." Belle said between gritted teeth. "This was meant to be a simple pick up." She shook her head. She should no better.

"Yeah everything is simple as a pilot in the Army." Cassandra said laughing. "We joined for the highs." She laughed.

Belle said, "You'll have to remind me what they are when we make it out of this god forsaken jungle." Then she switched on her mike and said,

"Base this is Rose 123"

"Base to Rose go ahead," The Base came through her mike connection. "I'm taking heavy fire." Belle reported. "Rebels have heavy artillery cannons aimed at my chopper." She said trying to keep her calm.

"We're alright Belle honey." Cassandra nodded at the radar. No lock on. Belle shook her head. Cassandra was supposed to use formalities.

Belle was her superior but they were best friends and in this situation Belle wasn't about to waste time on reminding her.

"Good." She looked at Cassandra and saw that she was fighting for calm the same as Belle herself was.

They had to be calm they had a job to do.

She had to do this. It wasn't about her anymore. There were people relying on her somewhere in the jungle she could not let them down.

She would not let them down. This was her part in the mission and damn it if she had to fly straight into the jaws of hell she would do it.

This was her job and she would complete it. As she thought this, another rocker was aimed at the chopper and would have hit her had she not moved left moments before.

Explosions and the scream of the engine as she abused it filled Belle's ears. "Come on baby," She whispered to the chopper. "You've never let me down yet. Come on just a bit more."

"You're the best flyer we've got Belle I trust you." Cassandra said not looking up. "Shit they've got a lock on move Belle!" Cassandra screamed.

Belle cursed violently as they got a lock on her and dropped out the sky until she was barely above the canopy of the jungle.

She hoped to whatever god lived in the sky that she would be able to use the trees to obstruct the gun's laser finders until she could make the pick up and get the hell out.

"Nice move." Cassandra said obviously breathing a sigh of relief. "Now try and stay as low as you can."

She was so low she could feel the trees scrapping against the chopper's feet. But she also knew that she was nearing the pick up point and hoped she'd be able to make it through the thick trees safely to land.

Another rocket broke through the canopy and exploded into the sky. "Shit." She yelped.

"These Rebels ain't giving us any." Cassandra said. "We need to find the landing base fast." She added. "Another three miles to proposed pick up."

Belle nodded pushing the throttle forward so hard it screamed in protest at her. She ignored it and pulled her mike back to her mouth.

"Rose to base," She said hurriedly into the mike. "It's getting quite bad around here any sign of the guys reaching the pick up."

"ETA three minutes." A voice crackled over the mike. "Thanks." Belle said looking at Cassandra.

"This could get bumpy Cass." She said knowing that it would be an understatement. "Bring in on!" Cassandra said quietly.

Belle laughed despite herself. Cassandra always knew what to say, even in times like this when the need was dire to make Belle feel better.

Then Cassandra was laughing, "Belle we made it. The Clearing it's just below us. Take her down." Belle looked out of the chopper window and could see flashes behind the trees.

The men had arrived.

She lowered the chopper to the ground and landed but did not cut the engine

They would not be here long enough for that.

She refused to be here that long. She had her own orders. And her crew to think about.

The roar of the blades still turning made the trees at the edge of the clearing bend at unnatural angles and leaves and debris floated round the clearing.

"Come on! Come on!" Belle whispered under her breath. They had a five-minute window to get their arses to the chopper and then after that she took off with or without them.

She looked at Cassandra and Cassandra nodded and unbuckled and opened the cargo window and waited.

The roar of the engine and the wind created by the rotators caused the braches to snap off and bend in unnatural ways.

Neither of the girls got out the chopper and in seconds the men all ten of them, Special Forces men, on a deep cover mission in the heart of the jungle needing a way out, of stepped out of the shadows. Their guns out and in khaki uniforms and their faces painted.

Without waiting they all clambered into the chopper and when all ten were secure the last in, Belle assumed it was their leading officer slammed the door and Belle took off again.

Cassandra dived into her seat and belted up looking at the radar. "The rebels are everywhere." She said in a tight voice. "You're gonna have to do some of your fancy flying to get us out of here."

Belle nodded tightly. "Artillery?" She asked. "Rocket Launchers and long distance laser scopes." "We really are in deep shit."

"Great." Belle said.

"Maybe we can offer cover fire Ma'am." One of the soldiers said. She turned and said saw it was the leader. "That would be very much appreciated sir." She said. She knew that the leader was a Major and so out ranking her.

He nodded and Belle went back to flying the chopper. Without a word the men in her chopper were organised and sat behind guns that were supplied in the chopper.

Belle felt slightly better knowing they had cover fire but ultimately she knew that getting them out of this mess was her job alone.

She got of the jungle and threw the throttle forward and gained height to get them back to base.

"ETA five minutes," she said finally.

She breathed a sigh of relief and knew she shouldn't really. It was still too soon and she wasn't safe until she was on her turf on the ground.

She pushed the throttle forward again and Cassandra screamed, "They've got a lock on! Belle move!"

"Shit!" She cursed and served but she wasn't quick enough the rocket clipped her tail.

"Base I'm hit! I'm hit!" She screamed into the mike. She turned round and said, "Get away from the tail!"

The soldiers jumped to obey her.

"We're going down!" She screamed into the mike. "Base do you read this? This is a mayday and we are going down!"

She knew that they weren't quite out of hostile territory but if she had anything to do with it, if it killed her she would get back to base.

She pushed the throttle forward and the engine screamed in protest and they cleared the trees and the base was in sight.

Belle could have sighed in relief but then she tried to control the chopper she realised she had a dead stick.

"Oh my god!" Cassandra screamed, "This is it!" Belle screamed, "Everyone brace!"

And the chopper went down in a clearing just short of the base and the last thing Belle could remember thinking was, "I'm going to die!" before everything went black.


	2. Chapter 1: Lost

Hey guys long time no see but i'm finally back again with the new chapter hope you all like it

One thing before we start, one common theme through the reviews was that there was confusion about how my story fits into Beauty and the Beast (smiles) well you'll just have to wait and see. Just keep in mind that the roles are reversed...

**Dsiclaimer: **I own nothing but the plot the ideas are those of Disney. Damn i wish i owned it.

**Reviewers:**

**Leotabelle13: **Thanx for the reivew. I'm glad you liked the first chapter. As for it being based on Iraq i never really thought of that, it wasn't meant to be but i can see why you would thnk that. The army thing comes back into the plot later i hope you enjoy the next chapter!

**Shortstef: **Thanx for the review! Im glad you liked the idea and as i said above you'll just have to wait to see how it fits into the plot. It really isnt clear just reading the prologue. I hope you read on!

**Bellamegs: **Thanx for the reivew and the heads up on my punctuation i have tired to improve it throughout this chapter but i really don't know whether i've managed.I agree it was one crazy chapter and i have no idea where it came from. It's a plot that refuses to leave me alone. :-D just not sure writing it was a good idea...Oh well...I hope you read on!

**Dark Ninja Of Mount Hope: **Thanx for the review! Glad you liked the first chapter i loved writing it. I hope you read on!

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Captain Winters: Lone Rose

Chapter One: Lost

Ben trudged on his teeth chattering from the cold. The snow was falling so hard and fast now he could barely see a foot in front of him. He had broken down in the woods.

He had warned his father about using that car, but his father had refused to relent. The fact that he was using the car was because he had already totalled the three cars his dad had bought him.

But that was not the point. So he liked going fast what was the big deal? He liked speed. He should have been more careful he got that. But he had warned his dad about that car and now look what had happened.

He was stuck in the middle of nowhere.

The car he had been forced to use was a junk box. It was an accident waiting to happen. He knew he hadn't deserved a new car. He was now working towards a one of his own. But why, why had they made him drive that?

And in the snow!

He had been driving home and the car had totally stopped. It had just gave out. There was nothing left to even be able to jump-start it. It had just stopped. No warning or anything. Now he was in the middle of nowhere.

Well, he supposed that wasn't exactly accurate. He was in the middle of the Northern Woods but they were so dense he had no idea where he was, and no one stopped in these woods if they could help it.

They were a means to an end. They were just so dense no one liked to even think about what could be in there. Now he found himself trudging through the snow with no idea of where he was going or how he was going to get home.

He knew he had to keep moving because stopping wasn't smart. At least if he kept going then he might be able to keep warm and find a way out of this damn forest.

Twenty minutes later he was still no nearer finding his way in the snow. Now he was sure that he was, if it was possible, more lost than he had been when he first left the car. He knew he would never find his way back to the car again and he was starting to panic.

Ben never worried about anything. Not usually. He was young; he had everything going for him. But now he was worried. He technically knew what to do if it got to the point where he had to stop and set up an emergency shelter. His dad had taught him how.

Just when he was getting to the point when he thought he would freeze and was about to start digging an emergency shelter in the snow a dark shape came into view through a set of overgrown trees.

He stopped and glared at the shadow it was so hard to see through the snow it was getting thicker and heavier by the minute but when he looked around the lining of the trees he realised that there was a trail leading through the trees.

He frowned he knew a lot about the Northern Woods but he had never heard of any set trails. Knowing that this could be his ticket out of here. He couldn't last much longer in the cold. Not without getting hypothermia and he could do with out that, thank-you very much!

Ben turned and sped up the track, which was so overgrown that he tripped on trunks of trees that had fallen in the storm and were now covered by snow and ice. He cursed. _What a bright idea this was! _He thought bitterly. Now not only am I going to die I'm going to break my leg doing it.

His mood was foul as he made his way up the track. This was all his fault. He knew that but he stubbornly refused to believe it. He was going to blame the car for all he was worth. It was the car's fault he had told his father about that heap of junk!

Of course, the more truthful side of his brain acknowledged if you had been more careful and not totalled those other cars then you would not have had to drive the junk heap in the first place.

Ben snarled pushing the truthful thoughts away he did not need this right now. He would get out of this snow… Even if it killed him…ok they probably weren't the best thoughts to be having but still…

Just as he was totally depressing himself with thoughts he probably shouldn't be having Ben stumbled into a clearing.

He stumbled and fell into the snow and cursed as he felt his ankle twist. "Stupid snow, stupid forest, stupid car." He snarled bitterly. Whenever he did get home he would be telling his father that that car was the cause of all his problems. Even if he never got another one…

…Okay wait that was probably going a little too far.

"Bloody hell, I hate that car!" Ben muttered pulling his coat tighter around him swearing again as yet again he missed a branch due to the snow. He gritted his teeth cursing for about five solid minutes until he literally ran out of curses.

He was about to turn around and head back to the car, damn it he might be lost and in the middle of a god-forsaken forest, that no one ever looked in but at least he wouldn't die of hypothermia, when he saw a flickering light through the snow.

At first he thought he was imagining it. Like a traveller lost in the desert and suddenly seeing a mirage but as he hurried towards it with a renewed sense of hope he saw a shadow start to loom out of the snow.

He screwed his eyes up against the blizzard and what he saw nearly keel over with relief. He hurried on towards the massive gothic style house that had suddenly appeared out of the gloom praying that it would not disappear as soon as he closed his eyes.

The path became clearer the closer he got to the house and he sighed with relief he didn't think he could handle any more forest induced injuries.

The trek to the house seemed to take forever but eventually he made it to the front door. Ben couldn't really see clearly through the snow but he guessed that once this house would have been a marvel to look at now it just seemed dark and brooding like something had happened to it and it was resentful of its own bad luck.

Ben pushed open the gates and they opened with a creak and walked up the walk way head down against the wind that seemed to scream and attack him the closer he got to the house.

He reached the door and banged on the door. The knocks seemed to echo through the house and Ben wondered if there was even anyone there.

He pushed on the door being in there had to be better than being out here and surprisingly it opened he staggered inside a drift of snow following him inside and shut the door.

Instantly he felt relief as his body reacted to the warmth. He wasn't going to die of hypothermia after all thank god.

He wondered through the house wondering how such a beautiful house could end up in the middle of the woods abandoned. Not, that he wasn't thankful of course but he was shocked out his musings by a voice.

"Is there any particular reason you have invited yourself into my house?" Ben spun round and saw a figure on the staircase.

"I'm sorry!" Ben stammered truly sorry. "It was snowing and my car broke down. I was lost in the woods and I thought it was abandoned!"

"No one has ever found their way here before. You can't find the track unless you're looking for it." The voice said suspiciously. The voice was definitely female Ben decided and wondered why she was staying determinedly in the shadows.

"You can if you get yourself lost in the Northern Woods in a snow storm. I meant no harm I just wanted to stop myself from bloody freezing to death."

"Be that as it may you generally ask the host of the house for that luxury." "True would that be you?" Ben asked. "It would."

Ben decided there was something he did not like about that voice. Something dark and sinister though he couldn't quite work it out she sounded like in reality she was not much older than him.

"Then I'm sorry for the trespass would it be alright if I stayed here only until the storm passes." He seemed to huff like he had offended her though he couldn't begin to think why.

"If you must but I want you gone as soon as the storm passes is that clear?" Ben frowned what was her problem anyway?

He was sorry he had entered her house without her permission but the damn thing had seemed derelict how was he meant to know? Anyway who would want to live in a place like this? Totally hidden from the world.

"Crystal clear." Ben said at last. She turned to leave and he frowned again. "Hey?" She sighed and turned back. "Yes?" "Don't I even get to see the host's face?" He heard her gasp. "No. I'd rather not if it's all the same to you."

She went to move away again. Ben moved after her. "What harm could me possibly see your face do?" He wanted to know. "If you're not going to show me can I at least know your name?" "No." The woman said shortly. "Then I demand to see your face." Ben said in challenge.

He had followed her onto the landing and she didn't seem to mind no if she turned round he would see her face clearly.

Just as he thought she would she spun round and said, "How dare you!" But the look on Ben's face must have been one of absolute shock because the words died on her lips and she swore.

Ben looked into the face of the woman of the manor and could say nothing. He heard her swear and knew then that he had done the wrong thing.

But he also knew he couldn't have helped it.


	3. Chapter 2: Scars Never Leave

Hey guys i'm back again! The next chapter is finally here!

Captain Winters: Lone Rose

Chapter Two: Scars Never Leave

The woman swore and spun round and pulled up a hood on her jacket. Ben blinked. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "It just startled me." She stopped and turned back. "It startled you?" She sneered. "I think that's a bit of an understatement don't you think?" Before Ben could reply she turned and stalked along the corridor. Ben hurried to catch up with her.

"Hey." He reached for her arm and let go as she dragged it out of his reach. "I meant no offence. I mean what I say it startled me." He stopped for a minute looking at her. "I think the correct term would be scared you." Her voice came from within the hood and Ben winced at the ice in her tone.

"No. They did not scare me but I'm not about to lie to you, they are a sight to see the first time you see them. But you should not hide them. I honestly didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. You don't need to jump down my throat." The lady, Ben still was unaware of her name had begun to turn away but she turned back to Ben and removed her hood. Her face was puzzled. Puzzled but anger was evident in every line of her face.

Ben studied her face and did not look away. Looking away would only make it worse. The scars where bad but she had truly been lucky whatever had happened to her really. The scaring was bad, yes but she still had both her eyes. Her face was almost completely disfigured though, her nose was squashed and there was nothing to see of her cheeks.

Now Ben looked at them he was sure they were burn scars his dad had some like them too. They went from her neck all the way up the left side of her face. How her eye had survived Ben didn't know. They also travelled to her cheekbones on the opposite side. She also seemed to have a scar on the right side of her face like an extension of her mouth.

Yes it was bad, he was not going to shy away from it and it would cause people to stare but that was only because they did not understand it. Ben had not been prepared for it but he had enough experience of scarring to know it wasn't that bad.

But often it wasn't the physical scaring that caused the problem. Ben looked at the woman in front of him and realised that in her case it was probably a combination of both.

"You cannot tell me that these do not bother you?" She said pointing at her scars in disgust. "Truthfully? No." Ben shrugged. "My dad has scars too. They're not as visible as yours though. He has the same troubles as you but truly they are not as bad as you seem to think they are."

"Your dad has scars?" The lady said taking a small step towards Ben as though she feared him like one would fear a cobra rearing for a strike. Ben nodded and shrugged. It meant nothing to him now. They were just part of his dad. But they symbolised much more than that.

"All over his torso and back. Now there are bad. But he is my dad and nothing will change that. He is a solider. He still is he is sent to god knows where. When the accident happened he was like you. Sure mum and I would reject him but they just prove how brave he is. He was hurt doing what he thought was right and there is nothing braver or truer than that no matter what the scars look like."

He watched the woman's reaction carefully and she seemed to shrink when she mentioned soldiering. Had she been a solider too? Had she been in a battle and the scaring had come from a mission gone badly like his dad? Had she had to make impossible decisions and come out worse for it?

But she looked so young. She couldn't be much older to him. But then you can join the armed forces as soon as you leave school so perhaps she had been a solider after all.

He reached out and touched her shoulder again. She didn't pull away this time. "You can stay until the storm passes." She said faintly. Ben frowned, she had already said that. But he knew something had changed.

"Thank-you." He said softly. "What's your name?" He asked in the same soft tone. She seemed to be in a state of shock and he didn't want to scare her out of it. "Belle." She whispered.

"Call me Belle." "Hello Belle." Ben said taking her hand and shaking it. "I'm Ben." She smiled and he realised with a jolt that even through the scars she had a great smile.

"I don't mean to be rude but do you have a phone? I need to call my dad." Belle looked at him for a moment and then nodded and said, "Sure the phone is down the hall." Ben smiled. "Thanks." He wondered away from Belle and found the phone in the hall.

The line was bad but it was better than his mobile, which didn't seem to want to work at all. The line crackled but reluctantly connected and the phone started to ring. His dad picked up. "Hello." "Dad?" Ben said, "It's me." "Ben! Thank-god! Where are you?" "The car gave up in the middle of the Northern Woods I told you it was a heap of junk."

"Where are you now?" I found a road and followed it there was a house and a woman lives here she's been nice enough to let me stay here until the storm passes and then I'll get home."

"Are you sure you're alright?" His dad sounded worried at the thought of him staying in a house of a complete stranger and he supposed it was but Belle seemed nice enough apart from her temper, which he couldn't exactly blame her for. She'd obviously been on her own a long time. Away from the world. He'd intruded on her privacy and it was obviously something she guarded jealously.

He suspected that her temper had come from being alone for so long and from the inevitable force of other people's cruelty. Ben might have not taken to her scars badly but he wasn't stupid enough to think others had the same foresight. And if he was honest he doubted if he'd met her a few years ago his reaction would have been the same as the rest of the world.

Cruel. Uncaring. Fearful.

Ben shook his head and got back to the conversation at hand.

"Yeah, the lady here has let me stay here until the storm is over I'll be fine honest." "Well if you're sure." His dad said sounding unconvinced. "Yeah dad honest I'm fine. At least I'm not about to freeze to death. Which I thought was a really big possibility back there. Look I'm fine. I know you worry but I'm fine I'll check in tomorrow ok? I'll be home as soon as the storm is over."

"Keep in touch." His dad said and Ben smiled into the receiver at the tone of his voice. It was the tone he used when he knew he was losing a battle and could do nothing about it. His dad hated losing but then raising children was different to war and a battle he didn't mind loosing every now and again.

"I will dad I'll be fine. I'll ring you tomorrow." "Make sure you do." His dad said. "Be careful Ben." "Love you too dad." Ben smiled into the phone. Ben heard his dad laugh softly. "Love you Ben." Then they disconnected.

Ben turned and jumped when he realised Belle was stood right behind him. "Are you always that quiet?" He asked composing himself again. Belle shrugged and said nothing.

She looked at the phone and then back at Ben. "You and your dad are close?" It was a question and Ben found himself nodding happily. "We weren't always but we are now he's like one of my best friends." "What changed?" Belle said taking a step forward.

Ben looked at her. She still had her hood up her face was completely in shadow but he could see her blue eyes wide with interest.

Ben however couldn't give her that information no matter how interesting it might be to her. "My mum." He said shortly before turning away.

Belle huffed behind him. "Now whose being touchy. It was just a question." Ben spun round to face her his eyes burning. She'd folded her arms and regarded him from under the hood which she'd replaced.

"You have no idea what you're talking about!" He said hotly. "Now who's jumping down whose throat?" She said

Ben was sure he could see a hint of a smile under her hood he blinked and it was gone and he thought he must have been mistaken but it was enough to get his already hot temper going again. Who the hell did this woman think she was anyway? He'd apologised for upsetting her where did she get off saying those things to him. She didn't even know him!

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" He denied hotly. "Sure you don't." Belle agreed in a tone that told Ben she believed him about as much as when he'd told her that her scars didn't bother him.

"Believe what you like. I don't care." Ben said glaring at her his brown eyes alive with fire and daring her to argue with him.

Surprisingly she didn't she simply picked up the candle that was flickering by the phone and said, "Come with me."

"Why?" Ben said self-consciously. "So you're going to sleep in the entrance hall are you?" Belle said shortly. "I had hoped not." Ben said quietly. Belle swept away and said, "Then follow me."

Belle led the boy, teenager, young man through the house towards the bedrooms which where at the rear of the house and couldn't decide if allowing houseroom was a good idea or not.

Yet as much as she liked to think of herself as the Ice Bitch of the Northern Woods she knew she wasn't and much of the old Belle still resided somewhere frozen in her heart and she knew that she couldn't let him freeze to death in the storm. She just couldn't do it. She'd never forgive herself and she'd never been that cruel she wouldn't start now despite being the self proclaimed Ice Queen.

Still she was kind of happy he was pissed because that meant the heat was away from her for the time being. She liked the fact she had been able to push his buttons because that meant that he was angry and anger she could deal with. Anger meant she had a reason not to talk to him till the storm was over and he left her alone again.

She had been away from human society for along time and before that she had had to deal with the more sinister side of human nature. The cruel side. The side that doesn't like people who are different. She'd seen it. Been at the brunt of it. She hadn't been able to cope with it. That's why she had hidden herself away. Because it was easier that way, because it was less painful and she had learned to accept that that was how her life was now. She hadn't liked it but she'd moved forward and she was happy with that.

But now this guy, Ben had come in from the outside world and threatened to turn her solitary existence upside down. He threatened to change her perception of said outside world. Understanding and acceptance was not something she was accustomed too. It wasn't something she'd come across in her brief stint in the outside world.

This boy threatened everything she thought she understood about the way the normal people of the world had treated her. But then he was only one boy. One boy was not enough to change the world. She knew that. She'd seen it. She knew how cruel the world was and though people had tried to change it, it remained as cruel to those who were truly different.

Belle led the man through the house and when the sullen silence hot too much she broke it, much to her annoyance. "I only have one rule when it comes to you staying here. Neither you nor I asked for you to be stuck here so please obey. It makes things easier."

Ben said nothing. Belle turned round and found that he was nodding listening intently. The anger had gone from his features and he even sort of smiled when she looked at him. She ignored it.

Belle looked at him. "While you're here you can go wherever you like in this house. It's been a while since anyone was here and I'm sure you'll find it entertaining but you are not allowed in the Attic in the West Wing."

"Why?" Ben asked frowning. Belle looked at him. "The reason is none of your concern you only need know that it is forbidden." Ben shrugged and said, "That's fair enough."

Then his eyes lit up as Belle guided him through the house. "This place is amazing. It's like a small castle. I'm sure I can find something to do." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye "Even without going in your _forbidden _West Wing." He teased lightly.

"I'm sure you can." Belle said stiffly.

She stopped abruptly outside a shut door and said, "You can stay in here. The sheets are new on and there should be a few jeans and t-shirts in the wardrobe." Her face twisted in pain and Ben watched as she physically composed herself under her hood. Before she looked at him again and motioned towards the door.

Ben watched as that small admission seemed to cause her great pain and she had to physically compose herself before she looked at him again.

"Thank-you." He said quietly. She nodded tightly checking her hood was in place before she swept away from the door before turning back again. "I still stand by what I said earlier." She said smugly. "You didn't have to jump down my throat. It was a simple question. What? A simple question from a scarred woman too much for you?"

Ben felt his hackles rising at the blatant accusation. "How dare you!" He yelled. "I told you that you startled me. Sneaking round in shadows it's no wonder you scare people I mean have you ever left this place?" he could feel his temper rising despite trying to stop it.

Belle felt the familiar anger rise up within her and was thankful for it. Though she couldn't stop the twinge of hurt as his words were flung at her. "Well maybe I would," She snarled unable to jeep quiet. "If it wasn't for people like you!" She threw her hands up in the air. "People like you who think the world should be rid of people like me. People that aren't normal!"

Both stared at each other unable to believe what they had just said to each other and then they snarled at each other. "FINE!"

Ben went in his room and slammed the door shut and locked it while Belle stalked down the hall towards the West Wing, her sanctuary.

She stormed into the west wing and threw a couple of rotting ornaments and a chair around the room in an effort to calm her temper and ranted to herself.

"I let him stay here out of the storm and then he expects me to let him know my deepest darkest secrets? What does he want me to do? Tell all? The Life of another girl in the past? Yeah Right! I tired to be civil and I just get it thrown back in my face. Why the hell do I even try?"

She stormed around the Wing a bit more ranting about stupid boys and the unfairness of the world in general and then sat down with her head in her hands resting her forehead on the table. She heard whispers above her head and snarled, "Get out!" Without even looking up.

The whispering didn't stop they showed no sign of leaving although Belle knew that they were wary of her temper.

"Mistress Belle you must look after your guests better." A voice said softly after a brief uneasy silence. Belle guessed they had tried to decide who to nominate to speak.

"That's what I have you for now get out. I have things to do." Belle snarled at the group of spirits stood around her. They didn't move right away. "Well what are you waiting for?" She demanded. "MOVE!" She roared. The whispering disappeared quickly and Belle let out an angry snarl.

Having a guest in the house however grudgingly was bringing back memories she would have rather have forgotten.

She'd always known magic existed, having a powerful Sorceress for a grandmother tended do that. So when she'd inherited the chateau from her grandmother on her eighteenth birthday she knew it held power. She never dreamed that it would ever be unlocked and used against her. She had never listened to her grandmother even as Belle's own magic grew. She should have.

After the accident left her scarred and unable to continue with the life she'd had before she'd moved back to the chateau to recover and realised she would never have the life she had before not with the towns people acting as they were. She endured a year of torture at their hands before she acted.

She used her powers bring about a storm never seen before; she wrecked cars, houses and crops. She brought the fury of nature down on the town. The night of the storm there was a knock on the door and when Belle opened it there was an old man on the doorstep. He wanted shelter in exchange for a single rose.

By then the storm had taken on a life of it's own and Belle was firmly caught in it's fury. The fury of the storm and wanting to punish those who had wronged her. She recognised him from the village and in a fit of rage she turned him from the door.

The man had shook his head and held his hand up and his own magic clashed with her own bringing the storm to an end and Belle to her knees. Belle recognising another Sorcerer had tired to apologise and explain her actions that she had simply gone against those that had wronged her. But it was too late he had seen that there was no longer love in her heart.

"You have crossed the line from protecting the innocent to punishing the guilty and that is a crime I cannot let you continue to do." He said before turning his power on her.

As punishment he had turned the château's protective charms on her and trapped Belle inside the house forbidding her to leave. The spirits that had once free to leave were now enslaved to the house bound by the magic that held their mistress captive The wounds she had received from the accident became worse as her magic rebounded on her.

Repulsed by her horrific scaring Belle had threw out the servants that had lived and worked there and further concealed herself inside the castle with only her grandmother's enchanted mirror as a window to the outside world.

The Rose he had given her was also enchanted that he had told her would bloom until her twenty-fifth year if by the time the last petal fell Belle could learn to love another and have them love her in return the spell would be broken if not she would be doomed to remain inside the chateau for all eternity.

Belle looked at the blood red rose that sat in a glass case out by the balcony. She truly hated that thing but she knew what it represented. She had crossed the line that day all the people she had hurt, killed. But she couldn't bring herself to care. They had crossed her first. The rose would bloom fully come the summer she knew time was running out.

The mirror she used to see the outside world was on the table beside her. She only used it sparingly as she had to force herself to look at herself in the reflection whenever she used it.

She stared at the frame and her hand reached out to grasp the handle but at the last minute she became angry and she swiped her hand across the table and the mirror clattered to the floor but didn't brake.

She snarled and pushed herself away from the rose and the mirror. The memories floating round in her head the boy's appearance just bringing them back making her already foul mood worse. She had tired to be civil and look what happened. She couldn't help but throw all the old hurt, hate and anger out people for the hurt they had caused her.

She remembered a time, though it was along ago time now, when she would have been mortified to be as cruel as she had just been five minutes ago and she felt some of that old emotion rise from somewhere within her.

She had been wrong. She knew that Ben's reaction had not been like the ones she remembered. Curiosity and almost, sympathy? There were definitely not reactions she remembered. And she guessed that was what scarred her most.

She shook her head the world hadn't changed that much in the time she had been locked in her gilded prison of that she was sure. Just because he hadn't spat her on sight didn't mean he wouldn't. Though a small forgotten voice at the back of her mind told her that he wouldn't and she believed it.

She put her head on the cool marble table and wished her thoughts would come a stop for even a moment she had one hell of a headache. "I'm sorry." She whispered, in a rare show of emotion, tears leaking down her face.

The words were so simple to say but she knew she'd never say them to Ben. She froze at the thought. "Oh this is hopeless. I'm nothing but a monster!'

Ben slid down the door. He could not believe he had just said those things to her. Who the hell did he think he was? He didn't know her. But she just made him so mad! She was right he did have his own problems and while he might not want to talk about them it was wrong of him to take that out on her.

He was ashamed of himself. His father would be horrified if he ever found out what Ben had done and thinking of his dad made him feel ten times worse.

He sat on the floor and rested his head against the door. He could tell this was going to be hard being stuck in the house with no way of leaving unless he wanted to freeze to death. Belle obviously had problems and he made a promise to himself that he would not anger her anymore if he could help it.

He had no right to judge her and he knew what it was like to be hurt to the degree she had. He promised himself that even if she was being difficult he would try and give her the space she needed.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to the door.

He knew he should say those words to her but every time he thought about it he thought about her sharp words and her intense hostile gaze.

He would not anger her but he did not want to get to know her either. He couldn't help how he felt and once again he knew that really that had nothing to do with Belle and everything to do with himself, which wasn't fair, but at the same time he couldn't help it either.

"I can't handle this. I can't get to know her. I don't want anything to do with her." He whispered feeling bad as he said the words but he knew that they were true.

He stood and went to the bed. He felt as if he had lost something, though he couldn't figure out what, after the fight with Belle and it had left him feeling tired lost.

Even more so than when he had been wondering the Northern Woods in the blizzard it was not a nice feeling.

He laid down on the bed and fell into a fitful sleep and all the time the snow continued to fall outside.

**Disclaimer: I** don't own Beauty And The Beast

**Reviewers:**

**Maliaphire: **Thanx for the review! Yeah you could say that her face was scarred but as you will see its not as simple as it looks...Hope You Read On!

**Kayla: **Thanx for the review! I know sorry about the cliffhanger i kind of have a thing for them at times lol Anyway here is the next chapter i hope you like it!

**TrudiRose: **Thanx for the review! I'm pleased you found the description realistic here is the next chapter i hope you read on!

**Belleeve: **Thanx for the review! I'm pleased you like it! Here is the update!

**Leotabelle13: **Thanx for the review! I'mpleased you like! Here is the next chapter i hope you read on!

Nowhope you all like the next chapter...On withthe story!

( 24/2/09) I've actually changed the second chapter a bit I was gonna do this story completely magic free but now I've changed my mind. I can't help it. So now Belle.... Well she might have more than one reason for being in that house....

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	4. Chapter 3: Silence Is Not Conversation

Okay I am very embarressed about how long it's taken me to get this chapter out. And I'm not going to try and explain it away. All my stories have suffered not just this one... anyway its here. Hope you enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Beauty and The Beast... Oh please I wish.

**Reveiwers:**

**TrudiRose: **Once again thanx for the review! I apoligise about making you wait and I hope that the slight adjustments to chapter two don't ruin the story for you. Thanx for the tips about my grammar hopefully this chapter will be better. Thanx for reading.

**The Flower Writier: **Thanx for the review! I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

**Samkay: **Thanx for the review I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

**The Answer: **Thanx for the review! Hopefully my dialogue will be easier to follow this time round. Here is the next chapter.

Now without anything else to say heres the next chapter...

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Captain Winters: Lone Rose

Chapter Three: Silence Is Not Conversation

Ben awoke feeling refreshed in himself but also in his resolve. He would do his best to make sure he didn't anger Belle but he had no intention getting to know her either. He got up and looked out the window and frowned. It was still snowing. He would have thought the storm would have blown over by now. It was definitely one of the worst storms he had ever witnessed. So he would definitely be here longer than expected. He wouldn't have the first clue how to get back to his car nor could he probably get it to start.

He wanted to hit his head against a wall in frustration and settled for resting his head against the cool glass watching snow create a cocoon around the house trapping him for longer. He had never done well with being trapped but he saw few other options in this case. He would simply have to wait out the snow and then somehow find his way back to the car and go home.

He was missing being at home already something he was sure would have never have happened. But there it was. He missed being at home.

Ben couldn't believe this was happening. He was sat in his bedroom contemplating the fact that for the foreseeable future he was stuck in a house with a woman that had one of the worst tempers he had ever seen.

He hadn't meant to upset her. He knew he had said the wrong thing as soon as the words came out of his mouth yet he couldn't help but say them. She annoyed him so much and her anger was intimidating and he didn't like being intimidated. He was not about to let anyone make him feel small no matter who they were.

The worst thing was that he was positive now that Belle couldn't be more than a few years older than him though her demeanour suggested otherwise. He felt royally put in his place and he didn't like it. She seemed to think she knew how the world worked when all she really did was hide herself inside a house. How could she know anything about the world when she hid herself so strongly. He had never met anyone that infuriated him the way she did.

He knew he had done wrong but she had also hurt him. And as the memory of that pain surfaced he felt a childish and selfish pride that he had managed to hurt her she him. She had tried to hide it but he knew she had been hurt. "Good." He muttered to himself. "Stupid woman!" He said hotly.

He suddenly wondered how long it had been since he had slept. It was hard to tell with the snow falling so strongly he glanced at his watch and realised he had slept the night away. it was now ten the following morning he groaned. He had never been a morning person but he couldn't bring himself to sleep again he was just too wired.

He sat on the bed and then sometime later he heard Belle approach the door. "Are you awake?" She demanded banging on the door strongly. "Well if I wasn't I am now." Ben said irritably.

"Good." Belle said seemingly ignoring his sarcasm. She knocked again. "What?" He shouted.

"You can come down to breakfast now." It sounded like an order. Ben didn't like it. Ben glared at the door, but said nothing. He heard excited whispering outside the door and he heard Belle sigh.

"It would please me very much if you would join me for breakfast." Still Ben said nothing, he knew he was being childish but he couldn't bring himself to actually speak to her. All the anger from last night hadn't quite disappeared and he'd rather not be near her if he could help it.

He heard voices again. Soft, whispering voices which confused him since he had thought Belle lived alone though it was definitely a big house to live alone it. He heard her huff in annoyance at whatever was being said and then;

"Please." She added almost as an after thought and since she was trying to be polite he forced himself to speak.

"No thank-you." He said stiffly.

"It wasn't a request!" She snapped through the door. "I'm still turning it down!" Ben snapped through the door. "I thank you for letting me in out the storm but I think it better we stay away from each other do you?"

Belle said nothing for a moment and then "Fine!" She yelled and Ben winced. Okay so much for not making her angry!

"Well go ahead and starve." Belle said angrily hitting the door and then turning to stomp off down the stairs.

"Fine!" Ben shouted at the door but of course she had disappeared and could no longer here his retort. It kind of ruined the affect. But he felt better for doing it anyway.

After his anger had disappeared he realised what a fool he was being. She didn't have to let him stay to wait out the storm but she had. But he didn't want to heave to deal with her either. She was the most annoying, stubborn short-tempered female he had ever met!

He thought some of the girls he knew were complicated but none of them compared to her. He'd done nothing and already she was acting as if he had set the whole world against her.

Sure they hadn't exactly got off on the right foot. He'd been rude and he knew he should say sorry but he knew himself he was way too stubborn for that and he wasn't about to swallow his pride until she swallowed hers. She'd bloody started it. He'd bloody apologised for her scars! What the hell else did she want?

Well he wasn't going to apologise anymore until she did. The sooner the snow let up the better. He needed to leave. It was obvious she didn't want him here and he saw no reason to impose on her any longer than necessary.

Ha! He thought, he'd be waiting forever then. What was her problem anyway? He knew that really he didn't have a right to be angry but he was stuck here until the storm disappeared. He sighed. This was no way to treat someone that had offered him a place to stay.

It was time to swallow his pride and go and find her and apologise for his rudeness. He knew he had too but it was a matter of swallowing his Pride and Ben acknowledged that this was one of his flaws and one that he was definitely trying to work on.

He stood up before he changed his mind and forced himself to move towards the door and he opened it and looked out into the hallway and saw nothing so he edged out into the hall and closed the door.

He figured he'd use the opportunity to see the House since Belle was such an intimidating presence but it was a beautiful house. He figured that if he couldn't face being around her he'd look around her house. Because he hadn't lied when he said it was beautiful. He had thought she'd lived alone despite it's size but now after hearing other voices besides Belle's he wasn't sure.

He certainly hadn't seen any people around but then he hadn't seen much of the house there was plenty of places that they could live without him even knowing. Although he wasn't sure there were others. Perhaps she did live alone?

Ben felt himself hurt for his hostess if she did live alone he felt for her. It was such a big house; it was so out of the way Ben still wasn't sure how he had found it. Did she not go insane living in this place on her own? Did she not wish for the freedom to leave? Did she not leave if not to see people just to be free? The house was certainly far enough away from people that she could go out without being seen.

How could she face wandering the same corridors day after day? Surely she had to leave sometimes? Surely the world still held something for her. Surely she had some friends or someone she could talk to. Someone that made her leave this place just to get out?

Suddenly the character of his enigmatic hostess was all the more appealing. Ben was not someone that enjoyed not knowing things and he was determined to find out the truth behind the prickly creature that called herself Belle. Suddenly his time here didn't seem all that bad. If only the hostess seemed to welcome him as well as the House seemed too. He couldn't deny that he felt safe and welcome here despite the anger he felt at Belle herself.

He knew he shouldn't be snooping, but he didn't really want to meet his hostess right then it felt wrong and he knew he'd only get in another argument with her and he couldn't deal with that. And besides she had told him that he could go anywhere in the house while he was here except the West Wing in the house. He shook his head he had no idea what that meant but he figured he'd keep away. If only not to piss her off anymore than he already.

He passed the many doors all of them closed and he had to restrain himself from going and looking in them. And then figured, what the hell and looked anyway. Many of them were bedrooms all of them pristine and clean. How could one person possibly manage a house this big? Did she never go out? Yet it looked so clean. Did she just spend her life cleaning?

Ben remembered the road he had travelled up and knew that even without being completely obscured by the snow was not a well travelled one. He wondered round the house. Did she really live alone? If so then where the hell had those voices come from this morning? He shook his head. Apparently the House held more secrets than he thought and he smiled at the thought of solving them.

As he travelled further round the house it became apparent that his assumption that Belle conducted her affairs from inside the house was founded it did not look like she had left for sometime nor did it look like she actually needed too. Though the fact that she didn't need to leave didn't stop him thinking about whether she actually left of her own free will or not.

She seemed to have everything she needed right there in the house. So she didn't _need _to but surely she left? He wasn't sure. Ben filed this piece of information away for future reference.

He found numerous other rooms along with the bedrooms including a computer room and even a gym on the first floor but all were dark. He had started to think that perhaps this house was more than a house more like a small castle.

He had to laugh. How the hell did a small castle get lost in the middle of the Northern Woods? But he noticed that while the small castle had all trimmings of old Belle had certainly spruced it up to make it capable of catering to every need in a modern world. One that she certainly did want to be part of.

Still he couldn't help but think that there was something wrong with the picture perfect image it represented because it was painfully obvious that Belle thought life was less than perfect.

He found himself getting enthralled with the house as he walked round it. He still felt like he was doing something wrong looking round without asking Belle about it first but he couldn't help it. The more he looked the more he wanted to see.

The mansion was so beautiful and it seemed to call to him. Called to him to look round and solve all the secrets that it presented. He couldn't help but want to move around and then he came to a staircase he started to walk up it when he heard a voice.

"Stop!" He spun round to see a man standing across the hall from him. "Oh god you scared me!" Ben said with feeling. "I apologise." The gentleman said softly. "My name is Colin I'm head of the house old. This is Rose." He pointed at the Siberian husky at his feet watching him intently.

"Ben." Ben said. "I know the Mistress said you could look around." Colin said nodding. "But I suggest you not go up there." "Why?" Ben frowned.

"Because there is nothing up there worth looking at just dusty unused rooms. Nothing of importance in the West Wing." Colin said carefully. Ben laughed.

"So that's the West Wing." He asked softly. "I wonder what she's hiding up there." Ben went to turn round and found Colin and Rose in front of him. "Hiding?" Colin asked softly. "The Mistress is hiding nothing."

Ben laughed. "Then it wouldn't be forbidden." Once again Colin stopped him going any further. "Perhaps you can come with me and my friends Liam, Cassandra and Polly can show you the other parts of the house. The gardens will have to wait till the storm is over but the North tower perhaps? Or the library?"

"You have a library?" Ben asked picking up on that. He had always been thought of as strange because of his fascination with books and the adventures of far off places and wanting to leave the tiny community he loved in for something better. His love of books had always been a source of amusement for his dad who did nothing but feed his son's addiction something Ben was eternally grateful to his father for.

Colin looked excited to have found something that had sparked his young charge's interest and said. "Yes!" he nodded enthusaically. "With more books than you can ever dream. Tons of them." Ben made to follow Colin as he enthusiastically went on to describe every inch of the library.

Ben truthfully was about to follow but the pull of the West Wing proved to much and he climbed the stairs leading there instead. He had to see. What Belle didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

The hall leading to the West Wing unlike the rest of the house was trashed. The tapestries and paintings had been pulled from the wall and one of the floor length mirrors was broken into a million different shards. At the end of the corridor he came to a closed door. It was obvious that no one had been in the West Wing for a long time and he remembered Belle's warning and that made him pause.

Before he made up his mind and entered the Wing. The room was beautiful/ beautiful but so dark. Dark and completely trashed he realised as he walked around it. The curtains had been torn down and paintings hung off the wall at one point Ben had had to duck to make sure he got through the torn fabrics hanging limply from the ceiling.

He was so busy looking round he almost went flying into a wall falling over a table he hadn't seen. He managed to save it before it clattered to the floor. But not before he himself ended up on the floor covered in dust.

He pulled himself up starting to wonder if this had truly been a good idea when he noticed a photograph that hadn't been completely destroyed as the rest had. It showed a young girl with an older lady. The older lady was still young perhaps only a bit older than Ben now and the little girl, she had Belle's eyes Ben realised.

Belle's mother? He wondered. His attention was taken away from the photo though as a bright light drew his attention. He couldn't see exactly what it was from the angle he was at so he eased slowly closely.

He realised whatever it was, was under a glass case as he eased closer he had to blink. There was no way it could be what he thought it was but as he eased closer there was no mistaking it.

There was a rose. A blood red rose under the glass case surrounded by a soft red glow suspended in mid air. He almost laughed. He had known when walking around there was something strange about the house. This just proved it. He almost laughed at the strangeness of it but the beauty of the rose overcame him.

He needed to get closer. He had to see more. He took the glass case off the rose and stared at it. It was even more beautiful where he could see it properly. The petals were a deep red and they had almost opened fully. He could see the thorns on the stalk. "Wow." He whispered.

He had almost touched it. When he felt someone come up behind him he turned and saw Belle glaring at him from under her hood her eyes glinting with anger. She dived at the rose and cased it quickly glaring at him.

"Shit." He whispered.

Because he knew even without having to see her face that he had well and truly pissed her off now.


	5. Chapter 4: Fury

Hey everyone! Back again with another chapter for you all. Hope yopu enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own beauty and the beast I'm just having fun twisting the plot to create this story. I'll give them back when I'm done. I promise.

Now on with the next chapter....

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Captain Winters: Lone Rose

Chapter Four: Fury

"Shit." Ben whispered when faced with Belle's anger.

"Why did you come here?" She asked quietly ignoring his whispered curse. She moved around the rose keeping herself between it and Ben. When he said nothing unnerved by her obvious fury she asked again, "Why the hell did you come here?" She was right in his face now.

"Look I didn't mean anything by it." Ben tried to explain. "I just wanted to see the house. I didn't mean any harm." He said quickly but he could see that his answers were not the ones she wanted to here. If anything they just seemed to adding to her fury.

"I told you never to come here!" She said her voice getting louder. Ben didn't know what to say to that. She had and it had been the one rule she'd given him. "I'm sorry." He said softly. Meaning every word but knowing now that it would do very little good.

"Do you realise what you could have done!" She screamed and swiped her hand across the wall causing it fly across the floor and break. He fell back against the wall as she broke a table close to her.

"Belle," he shouted. "Stop!" She turned and glared at him. Her hood had fallen and she truly looked scary. "Do not tell me what to do in my own house!" She screamed.

"I let you stay here! And this is what you do?" She said her eyes burning. "I should have known better. You're all the same!"

"Get out!" She roared.

Another vase crashed across the room and she yelled again, "GET OUT!"

This time Ben didn't stop to think about it he turned and ran. He needed to get away from her he darted down the stairs collected the leather jacket he'd left on the end of the stairs and flew out the door hearing the shocked whispers behind him.

Belle watched him sprint from the room and her face crumbled as she felt the tears begin to fall down her face. What the hell had happened to her? She had never been so cruel. But she also knew it was too late to do anything about it and crumbled onto her knees in the middle of the mess she'd made.

"Ben!" Colin yelled, "Don't!" Ben turned and glared at Colin. "You think I'm gonna stay and have her speak to me that way?" He snapped. "I don't think so. I'd rather take my bloody chances with the damn storm!"

Now that he was out of the room the momentary fear he had felt in the face of her fury had disappeared and all that was left was anger and he meant every word. He'd rather brave the storm back to the car than take any more than this he'd only been there a night and already he'd had enough.

He pulled the doors open and watched as the candles were blown out by the storm he headed out in to the blizzard wanting to put as much distance as he could between him and the Ice Bitch of the Northern woods no matter what it cost him.

He ran through the gates head down against the wind his movements slowed by the sheer amount of snow that had accumulated in the time he'd been inside the castle. But he would not turn back. He had to admit to himself though that he hadn't really thought about how cold it would be, how the cold would bite into his skin and having him feeling like he would never again feel the warmth on his skin.

It wasn't something he wanted but he'd take the snow storm over Belle's temper. He would not stay. He would not turn back. He resolved he'd find his car, find away to get it started and somehow get home, back to the real world back to his dad. His family. The only people that really mattered. The only people that really cared. He'd go back and he'd forget about her.

He'd forget about her and the hauntingly beautiful house she lived in. He had to get away. A little bit of snow would not stop him.

Okay, he thought as he looked around. So it was a bit more than a bit of snow bit damned if it was going to stop him. Although if he was honest he hadn't quite expected it to be as hard as this. For the snow to be so deep although in hindsight he knew he should have been. It hadn't stopped snowing since he had first made it to the manor. This, he decided was the world's way of conspiring against him.

He continued on into the storm and then realised just how much trouble he was in. he could hear wolves howling and he had no idea which way to go to safety. He started running hard knowing they were behind him, knowing he could never stay ahead of them.

"Shit." Ben whispered again as he battled the snow. "I was never meant to get out of here." He glanced behind him and fear clogged his throat as the wolves started to close in.

"I'm sorry Dad." He whispered and looked around for something to fight them off with. He picked up a branch and managed to hit one in the head. It wasn't enough. "Shit." Ben said again. Well he wasn't giving up. He wasn't going to just lay down and die. No. He'd find a way he just wasn't sure what that way was going to be yet.

One of the wolves looked ready to pounce and he readied himself to fight with it when it was suddenly lifted off the floor and hurled into a tree by an invisible force. Ben spun round and saw Belle not far off.

Her hood was up but her eyes were glowing under it. She lifted her arms high and brought them down three of the wolves were thrown into a nearby tree. "You will not touch him!" She commanded. Her voice carrying round the clearing.

Ben watched with something close to awe. She could do magic? She was a witch. He had thought that sort of thing was unbelievable. But then, perhaps not. His dad had told him stories of the unbelievable becoming believable. He should have known there was something about Belle.

He didn't want to believe it. But he had seen it with his own two eyes. How could he argue with what he had seen? He had always been a "Seeing is Believing" kind of guy. Just like his dad. He didn't know quite what to feel. He decided that right then it didn't matter.

He could feel the power coming off Belle as she commanded the magic. The wolves having been terrified by her power rang in the other direction. She lifted her head and looked at him before pointing past him and a light lit up a path through the trees.

"Take that path. It will lead you to your car. I promise you you're car will start. You'll know the way out when you find it." She lowered her arm and looked at him from under the hood. "Try not to get into trouble on the way. I won't be there next time."

She looked at him, as if drinking in his face before she was about to turn back towards the castle she staggered and passed out in the snow. Ben turned the path was still lit up, he could leave. Leave and forget all about the short time he had spent in the house.

He turned back and looked at her fallen in the snow. He sighed. He knew he couldn't leave her. She had helped him when he needed her. He couldn't leave her there. Never leave anyone behind. That's what his dad already said. He wouldn't be the one to leave her.

He sighed and turned back and picked her up. He didn't know if he was going to be able to carry her all the way there. he set his resolve and started to walk quickly back towards the castle. She was light in his arms. He looked down at her. She looked peaceful in sleep her hair was falling out of the hood and though the scars were angry, they looked less angry when that ever present scowl wasn't on her face.

She looked so innocent in sleep. Something he knew life had obviously taken from her a long time ago. He brushed the hair off of her face and whispered, "I'll help you Belle. You might not want me too but I will. There is something about you…"

He trailed off not sure what he was thinking. He shifted her in his arms to get a better grip as the snow started to slow his progress more. Just when he was about to drop from exhaustion the house loomed out of the clouds heavy and full with snow.

"Thank-God." Ben said as he pushed open the gate, "I was starting to wonder if I would have to stop for food and water." "No where to stop off." Belle's sleepy voice answered him. He laughed. She was still mostly asleep and her voice lacked the normal bite in it.

"Good job I found it then isn't it? Let's let you inside." He carried her inside to the staff waiting anxiously at the doors. "Let's get her settled and then I'll sort out any injuries she has." Ben said firmly. They nodded motioning for him to follow them.

As he got her settled in the nearest room and waited for the things he needed to make sure she was cared for properly, it occurred to him that he had issued instructions, almost orders, and not one of the staff had thought to argue with him.

"Well Damn." He whispered.


End file.
